Drone Photography

Flying machines that provide a whole new perspective on weddings

What you see above is just one moment of wedding footage taken by a drone. It hovers and swoops above as the guests form a heart with the bride and groom at the center, a feat that previously could only be captured by an expensive-to-hire plane or helicopter. But that was then …

Now drones can provide a panorama of the entire wedding venue as well as a top-down view of all the events of the day, including a ceiling-height fly-through of the dining and dancing inside. “From the air, you can get a sense of how big the wedding party is, how beautiful the venue is and the love of the people who came to celebrate,” says Chris Handley, owner of Air-Reelz, a Manchester-based aerial video and photography company. “When you’re taking photos on the ground, one on one, it’s a much more enclosed view of the wedding.”

Chris had years of experience flying remote control helicopters as a hobbyist, so moving up to a drone wasn’t a big adjustment. The first time he shot with the drone he realized the potential for epic footage. He began offering his services in his spare time, but soon there was so much demand he started a full-time business, with weddings a significant part of it.
He has two drones — one for outdoors, one for indoors — that he operates according to FAA rules, with safety the upmost consideration. Most venues, he says, “are cool about it,” though a couple thinking about using a drone should check to make sure.

Drones are definitely attention-getters and, Chris says, that’s also a factor to take into account: “Some couples embrace that and think it’s cool, but others don’t want their guests hanging out with the drone, taking the focus away from the day.”

The cost for drone photography is between $400 and $700, depending upon what’s required. Chris will edit a video package for the bride and groom, with music and still images interspersed. For more information (and to see the entire footage of the heart-making shown above), visit air-reelz.com.